


Eclipse

by tinx_r



Series: Heavenly Bodies [2]
Category: Riptide (TV)
Genre: Heavenly Bodies, M/M, PTSD, Up All Night
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-28
Updated: 2018-02-28
Packaged: 2019-03-25 07:05:32
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,883
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13829019
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tinx_r/pseuds/tinx_r
Summary: Murray just wants to see the eclipse. Nick just wants some sleep, and Cody's the only one making any sense.





	Eclipse

"What even is a partial lunar eclipse?" Nick muttered, trailing behind Cody on their way into the motel. "And what makes it more important than getting home?"

"There's only one guy can answer that question," Cody replied, "but if you ask him, you're sleeping in the Jimmy."

"Ha ha," Nick said. "Hey, Boz!"

"For the next month. I mean it!" Cody hissed.

"What is it, Nick? Did you bring the thermoregulator? Oh, good!"

"Where do you want it, man?" Nick smirked at Cody's glare, and put the heavy briefcase he was carrying down on the table where Murray indicated.

The room was relatively large for its kind, sporting a single bed, a table big enough to seat four, a counter posing as a kitchenette, and a small, hard-looking couch. There was a door at the left, ajar to show a smaller room with a double bed taking up nearly all the available space.

"So here's my plan," said Murray. "I'll start running these numbers now, while you guys read up on the witness statements. That way we'll be prepared when we interview Rhodes back in L.A. tomorrow. If we catch some zees by one a.m. we'll be all set to get up before sunrise and view the eclipse before we head back to town! Isn't that boss?"

"I would'a liked to get home tonight, you know, man?" Nick tried, but he already knew he was beaten. They were inside the room, Murray was powering up one of his computers, and Cody had carted their duffels into the inner room.

Murray patted his arm, looking sympathetic. "I know you don't like sleeping in strange places, Nick. But it's such a good opportunity to view the eclipse from the desert -- I talked to Cody and he said you'd be okay with it for just one night. You are okay with it, right, Nick? Because if you're not, we can go back. I don't mind." He reached out and closed the snaps on the thermo-regulator's case. "In fact I'll start packing this away and --"

"Hey, Murray. Murray, no, man, it's okay. I don't mind." Nick shot Cody a glance, relieved when his partner dropped the duffel and came back into the main room. "I -- just forget it, okay? I was just griping."

Cody came closer, rested a hand on his arm. "Yeah, Murray, you better get on with setting up, huh? C'mon, Nick, we gotta sort those statements into chronological order, so we can spot any inconsistencies."

"Yeah. We better get started." Nick leaned into Cody and reached out to squeeze Murray's shoulder. "Thanks, Boz. I'm just tired, you know?" 

The witness statements were as dull and boring as Nick expected, all covering the same ground -- the will was as expected, Simon Rhodes Senior golfed every week, anyone and everyone would have known he would have been playing the eighteenth hole on Friday at eleven. It was either a freak accident or a clever murder, and proving it one way or the other wasn't going to be easy.

"Why'd you tell Murray I hated sleeping away from home?" Nick muttered, turning a page.

"I didn't. You did," Cody countered, glancing up and raising an eyebrow. "I only told him you'd be okay with staying here tonight."

"I told him that? When?" Nick yawned. "It's not even true."

"You told him that in San Francisco, when you'd been up thirty six hours straight and still refused to go to bed. That's what he told me, anyhow."

Nick winced. That visit to San Francisco was one of his least favorite memories. At the 36 hour point, with the case going south, Cody in Janet's bed, Jerome's twins oozing over the furniture and Murray tutting solicitously it was a miracle he hadn't pulled his gun and put them all out of their misery. "Oh," he said, and put aside the document. "You know what, I might take a walk."

Cody gave him an appraising look. "We're nearly done here, anyhow. I thought of running down to that burger joint we passed. I don't figure Murray's gonna give us time for breakfast."

They brought burgers and fries back to the room and ate them in a silence interspersed only by Murray's occasional exclamations at the screen in front of him. The burgers were okay, as turnpike burgers went -- Nick didn't figure Murray was wasting any time tasting his anyhow, and he and Cody had learned, years ago, to eat when and what was on offer.

Complaining was for pussies, and going hungry was a deathwish. Simple as that.

Nick was tired, and down, and off-balance. Between traveling, interviewing and surveillance, the last twenty hours had offered little relaxation and no sleep, and whatever he'd said out loud, he didn't like sleeping in strange places. He'd always been a light sleeper, and since 'Nam he slept like a soldier: alert to noises out of place, to light, even to smell.

It took him a few nights to acclimatize to any new place; he preferred to power-nap with Cody on watch; but tonight Cody was as exhausted as he was.

"Tonight is gonna suck for you, huh?" Cody came round behind Nick's chair, kneaded his shoulders, lowered his head to speak into Nick's ear. 

Murray, staring at his computer at the other end of the table, paid them no attention. Nick lifted his shoulders into Cody's touch, biting off a moan as he realized how tense he really was. "I'm fine," he managed. "Just kinda tired. I was thinking I could take the couch, you know?"

"You have the worst ideas," Cody said softly, and raised his voice. "Hey, Boz. Me'n Nick are gonna turn in, okay? We'll take the bedroom, so you don't have to worry about disturbing us. We don't mind sharing."

"What? Oh, sure. Yeah, I'll take the single out here. If I sleep, that is -- I'm having some trouble with this code as you can tell, and I -- "

"You can sleep in the car tomorrow," Nick suggested, leaning back into Cody. "I might too, if Cody snores."

Murray looked frankly puzzled. "But you guys share at home. Surely if Cody snores you're used to it by now."

Cody laughed at that. "I don't snore, and Nick's just joking around, right, Nick? C'mon, I wanna get a shower, we might not have time in the morning."

"Yes, the eclipse will only be visible for a short time because the moon will set," Murray said, looking excited. "We'll definitely be on a timeframe!"

"C'mon," Cody said again, more gently, and Nick stood up and allowed himself to be propelled into the bedroom.

"Here." Cody handed him his toilet kit. "Go and take a shower, and don't say a word to Murray except 'Good night'. If you try any harder to be casual about sharing with me, even he's gonna suspect something, you know?"

"I know. It's just -- " Nick sank down on the edge of the bed and put a hand over his eyes. Cody was his everything. That wasn't new. But more recently, they'd become sex partners and that was something he had barely gotten his head around. 

"Nothing has to happen, babe. Hell, we're most likely both too tired anyhow, don't you think?"

Nick stood and dragged a pair of clean sweats from his duffel. "That's not it, man. I just -- I don't even know, okay?" He headed for the bathroom before his mouth got him into anymore trouble -- words were never his strong suit, especially not when he was tired.

He finished up in the bathroom fast, then stopped off to watch Murray on his way back. Half his attention was on the sounds from the bathroom where Cody had taken his place -- water splashing, the occasional off-key line from a song -- and he tried to grunt intelligently in what seemed like the right places.

"I'm making some progress, Nick. Hopefully if I can just get on the satellite, I'll have this wrapped up in no time."

"That's great, man." Nick yawned. "As long as you get it done in time for the eclipse, huh?"

"Some sleep would be nice too," Murray said with a wry grin, and patted Nick's arm. "I hope it's gonna be okay for you, Nick."

"I'll be fine," Nick said, and yawned again. "I've got Cody." He snapped his mouth shut on the incautious words, and bit his lip. "Uh… I mean--"

"I didn't think of that," Murray said, turning to look at him. "Cody really wasn't around much in San Francisco, I guess. But tonight you can share a room like usual."

"Yeah," Nick said, nodding in relief. "Yeah, that's what I meant. Uh, I guess I'll turn in. I hope you get some sleep, Boz."

"Me too," Murray said, with another arm-pat. "Night, Nick."

***  
"C'mon," Cody was saying. "C'mon, Nick, get into bed."

Nick frowned. "Is it the eclipse?" he muttered. "Thought that was tomorrow… don't tell me we gotta do another stakeout, man."

"Wake up," Cody said patiently. "It's time to go to bed, and that's what we're gonna do, okay?"

"Huh?" Nick opened his eyes to find himself slumped on his duffel, head resting against the end of the bed, with Cody bending over him. "What'm I doing down here?"

"I was gonna ask you that," Cody said with an amused snort. "C'mon, big guy. You're gonna be a lot more comfortable _in_ the bed, you know?"

"I guess," Nick said, and yawned. He reached up into Cody's strong grip, exactly where he knew it would be, and allowed himself to be pulled to his feet. He yawned again and shuffled toward the head of the bed.

"You're kinda cute when you're exhausted," Cody remarked, heading around the other side of the bed. "I think I'm looking forward to your next summer camp, you know?"

"I'll give you cute," Nick growled, crawling under the covers. He kept right on crawling until he ended up wrapped in delicious, fresh-showered, warm (if slightly damp around the edges) Cody. Growl aside, he'd be cute if that's what it took -- he'd be anything that gave him this right, this place to call his own. 

"Gotcha," Cody whispered. "Gotcha. Sleep now, okay? I gotcha."

Strange place or not, Nick slept. Deep and heavy, only waking to Murray's high-pitched excitement and Cody's sleepy replies.

Cody's arm was still around him, his head pillowed on Cody's chest. With a superhuman effort, he got himself to a sitting position, blinking against the overhead light.

"Zit time already, Boz?" he managed through a yawn.

"Well, there's a half hour until -- but I knew you wouldn't want to miss the start! Isn't it boss?" Murray was practically bouncing on the balls of his feet.

"You drank a gallon of Mountain Dew again, didn't you?" Cody said, sitting up and swinging his legs off the edge of the bed. 

"Well -- uh, I did get a little sleep also," Murray said. "Listen, I'm gonna go get set up."

"Two gallons," Nick said, and stretched. "Ah, man, it's still dark!"

"That's kind of the point of getting up before sunrise," Cody said with a chuckle. "C'mon, big guy. Up and at 'em!"

Nick nodded but didn't move, instead just watching as Cody changed sweats for his tight blue jeans and a white sweater. It wasn't new, or anything special -- seeing Cody dress was one of the constants of his adult life, and he'd always derived pleasure from watching his partner. 

"Perv," Cody said conversationally, and threw a pair of jeans at his head. "Move your ass."

Nick moved his head instead, and the jeans landed harmlessly on the headboard. Cody bent to his duffel, spreading his knees as he did so, the tight denim hiding nothing at all, and Nick was on his feet in a second, torn between a slap on the rounded perfect buns, or an exploratory palm over the rest.

In the end he went with the slap, figuring the other would only hang them both out to dry, with no opportunity to go any further until evening. Cody yelped satisfactorily and retaliated, and things would have gotten out of hand anyway if not for Murray coming back to hurry them up.

\---

"So listen, guys, there's an observatory in Washington State, and they have a programme they're doing on Pegasus and associated galaxies."

"Wait, Boz, isn't Pegasus a winged horse? What does he need galaxies for?"

Nick started giggling. He was tired and loopy, and so was Cody, judging by that crack. 

Boz was talking patiently from the back seat about stars and constellations, and Nick sneaked one look up. The sun had just set, and they were finally only minutes from home, and up above were a few dim stars. Perhaps it would be a clear night, and maybe Murray would want to waffle on about Pegasus and Apollo and anyone else he could conjure out of the heavens, but Nick wanted only one thing.

"You know what, Murray? I think you oughtta plan for a nice long holiday in Washington, you know? Study Pegasus and his galaxies, and me an' Cody will stay home, and keep the agency afloat, all right?"

"Oh, I don't know, Nick, I -- wait, afloat, oh that's a good one, you guys are sure on fire tonight! But you know, I thought you were enjoying this astronomy and maybe you wouldn't want to miss out on an opportunity to study other heavenly bodies --"

Murray kept talking, but Nick turned to look at Cody. "You know what," he said, interrupting Murray, "I've seen enough heavenly bodies to last me a lifetime, you know?" As Cody pulled the Jimmy into its space, Nick took the opportunity to slide a hand onto his leg, run fingers along his inner thigh.

Cody hissed and jammed the park brake on more abruptly than was strictly necessary. 

Murray jumped out, talking about Pegasus and something called a Messier, and Nick squeezed Cody's leg. "What about you, big guy? You wanna look at some more heavenly bodies?"

Cody slipped out of the car and turned back to grin at Nick. "Just yours, buddy. Right after you unpack Murray's thermo-whosit and whatever else is filling up the back."

Nick groaned and rubbed his neck, unable to ignore the warm feeling flooding through him at Cody's affirmation. Maybe it was just a flip comment, a continuation of the heavenly bodies joke, but either way, it was exactly what he'd wanted to hear. "Why don't _you_ get the thermoregulator this time, huh?"

But Cody had already grabbed their duffels and slung them over his shoulder. "Hands are full," he said cheerfully, and headed down the companionway.

Nick got out of the car but paused to take in the view. He'd seen Cody walk down the companionway thousands of times, and it never ceased to be a pretty sight. Tonight, it was even prettier than usual, and Cody's glance over his shoulder said he knew it. Nick grinned appreciatively and hauled the heavy thermoregulator out of the back.

Two more trips emptied the Jimmy and left the salon looking like a refugee camp. Murray was crooning excitedly to the Roboz in what sounded like a foreign language, but Nick was pretty sure was actually geek-speak for either the Pegasus thing, or maybe the eclipse.

Cody wasn't visible, but running water below said he was taking advantage of his own bathroom.

Nick gave Murray's shoulder a squeeze, muttered something about turning in and headed down the stairs. Murray's acknowledgement followed him and he knew Murray had interpreted his own garbled goodnight as readily as he'd understood Murray. There was something to be said for family, when it came down to it.

Cody's clothes were in a ball in the corner of the stateroom. Normally, Nick would have moved them to the laundry hamper, maybe unpacked their duffels, but tonight, he left the duffels in their haphazard pile on the floor at the end of Cody's bed, stripped, and threw his own clothing to join Cody's, then padded naked to the head.

Nick had never touched anything harder than marijuana, but right now he was jonesing harder than any junkie. 

His drug of choice, meanwhile, stepped damply out of the shower, whistling as he dripped water indiscriminately over the floor, the toilet and the bath mat. Usually, Nick would have stopped to wipe it up, but tonight, the bathroom was going to have to take its chances.

Nick took a moment to kiss Cody -- deep, thorough -- then turned the water back on. "Shoulda waited for me."

"Figured it'd be quicker if we showered first," Cody growled, hungry now, gripping at Nick's waist. "Kinda cramped in there."

Cody had a point. The Riptide's bathroom was cosy at best, and although two men could, and had, fitted in the shower, it made for an acrobatic interlude.

"Hear ya," Nick agreed, and stepped under the water. "Wash my back anyhow, huh?"

"You got it." Cody's eyes softened and he slipped in behind Nick, wrapping his arms around Nick's chest. It was sensual, and it was exactly what Nick needed, to be wrapped up in his partner.

With a groan, he leaned back into Cody's arms and closed his eyes.

"Told ya," Cody said in his ear. "Cute."


End file.
